


It Takes Some Convincing

by orphan_account



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 20:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5679652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“M’lady--”</p><p>“—Alexandra, it’s safe. We are a good distance from the kingdom so you may address me by my name now. The wind isn’t going to chastise you for failing to address me properly.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Takes Some Convincing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scribblemyname](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblemyname/gifts).



“M’lady--”

“—Alexandra, it’s safe. We are a good distance from the kingdom so you may address me by my name now. The wind isn’t going to chastise you for failing to address me properly.”

She let out a soft chuckle “Lucia, it’s best if make camp a little way from here since we got a bit of a late start this morning…”

“Well I’m not a morning person,” Lucia muttered, trying her best to defend the fact that they’d left the palace later than either of them intended. It seemed like getting an early start was pretty much impossible for Lucia.

The running joke was that she’d probably be late to her own coronation (which Lucia’s father had been). There were people who still wouldn’t let him forget it and would do the same to Lucia.

Alexandra nodded though it looked like she was suppressing another smile or chuckle. “We take this weekend trip at least once a month. You think it would be something you’d make sure you were up and ready for. I mean, you know Zara hates it when you’re late.”

“Zara hates anyone intruding on his territory in general. Once a dragon, always a dragon, as you like to say.”

“Well, it’s true.”

Lucia could recall _exactly_ what Alexandra said before she became involved with Zara. She warned her why it was a dangerously bad idea, but when Lucia put her mind to something she could rarely be deterred-- even from the man she shared a soulmark with.

Between her position as princess and the fact that Zara was a dragon first and foremost, either relationship wasn’t easy. Well, he was a dragonshifter technically, but Zara preferred his dragon form to his human one. According to him it happened to be way more comfortable to sleep snuggled in a bed of treasure then on a mattress.

She didn’t see it but Lucia wouldn’t argue that point with Zara and neither would Alexandra.

“It’s true that Zara is temperamental among other things but he wouldn’t hurt me unless I want it and we both know I sometimes do,” Lucia said before smirking at Alexandra. “Same goes for you, Alexandra.”

Alexandra huffed. “Please don’t go telling Zara that. It’s bad enough he likes to cuddle me in that treasure bed of his. If he finds out about my proclivities, he’ll use it against me.”

In the beginning Alexandra and Zara didn’t get along. How they met certainly didn’t help. Lucia had been out with a hunting party when a storm hit. They all became lost in the blinding wind and rain, and took shelter in the first cave they found, which happened to be Zara’s home. Of course the dragon perceived them as a threat. If not for the bite mark on her right arm Lucia was positive she would’ve been Zara’s next meal.

“He won’t use it against you, Alexandra, and if he does distract him with something shiny. Dragons like shiny things.”

“Say that in front of Zara. I dare you.”

Lucia snorted. “... does it look like I want to get eaten?”

“Depends on what you mean by getting eaten,” Alexandra teased.

“Alexandra, you shouldn’t make such jokes in the presence of royalty.”

“I learned it from you!”

She grinned. “I know.”

It was normally about a three days’ journey to Zara’s home. Lucia and Alexandra, however, could make it in two days if they moved fast enough. But they were not moving fast enough this time. They hit some bad weather and didn’t climb down past the mouth of Zara’s cave home until late on the fourth. That’s probably why they were greeted with flames when they moved through the dark towards the inner apartment.

Alexandra quickly pressed himself against the cave wall, just next to where Lucia was flattened into the stone, but she couldn’t avoid the ends of her brown curls getting singed. “Zara! You think you’d like to try not destroying your bonded! Not to mention my bonded as well! Being burnt to death isn’t a way I want to go.”

A growl echoed inside the cave which melted into series of muttered curses. Soon a dark haired man appeared. He was completely naked but Zara rarely wore clothes in his human form because they always ended up getting ruined by his flames.

“You’re late,” Zara hissed, his eyes looking right past Lucia and landing on Alexandra. “Did you make Lucia late?”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

His face softened a little. It was barely noticeable but Alexandra had become well versed in speaking ‘Zara’ and picking up his nonverbal ways of communicating. “I know but you’re still late. I thought you weren’t coming and that it was intruders trying to sneak into my home again.”

If not for the bondmark that Zara and Lucia shared on their left arms, Lucia would’ve been burnt to a crisp that afternoon she led her hunting party into Zara’s cave. Zara was a powerful dragon with a reputation that preceded him and a horde of treasure. Thieves tried their luck getting at a satchel full of his gold frequently enough, and Zara took few chances.

When he’d heard a group entering his cave he’d breathed fire first and would’ve asked questions later if anything was still alive. And when he looked at Lucia, it wasn’t the bondmark linking them she’d noticed first. He'd noticed Lucia’s bondmark with Alexandra. Lucia actually was the one to notice their matching bondmarks which linked her with Zara. How she’d seen Zara’s, she didn’t know. It was nearly invisible on Zara’s dragon scales.

Never did Lucia expect the second bondmark she had to belong to a dragon shifter (Zara happened to be a prince as well but this wasn’t something he regarded fondly). People could have two bonded but rarely did two different species share one. Lucia supposed she should be thankful because it stopped Zara from killing her and once she got to know Zara, Lucia discovered the prickly dragon did have a sweet side.

Though like Alexandra said: once a dragon, always a dragon.

Smiling, Lucia put the past out of her mind and slipped her pack off her shoulders. “Well, we’re not thieves,” she said. “In fact I brought you some of those fireproof clothes I was telling you about. I know you--” Lucia was cut off by Zara pushing her up against the cave wall and kissing her deeply. It took Lucia a moment to free her mouth to speak. “Zara, don’t distract me. I am trying to tell you about your gifts…”

“You’re a princess and I am a prince. Acquiring such gifts isn’t difficult for one with such high status and money at their disposal.”

Alexandra pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lucia handpicked those out especially for you.”

“Fine!” Zara growled as she turned towards Alexandra. “Let me try one on.” He shoved his hand into Lucia’s pack and practically snatched a bundle out of it. After tossing away the wrapping he pulled out the clothes and started to put it on.

When he was done, he straightened the crooked folds and smoothed the pants. Even in the gloom of entrance of the cave it was easy to that the suits looked amazing on Zara. Lucia knew it would the moment she saw the final product.

“How do I look?” Zara did one of those stereotypical spins someone did while trying on clothes but he did so innocently, unaware of how the action looked to others.

Lucia grinned. “You look beautiful.”

“Good.”

The response caused Alexandra to laugh in amusement. It earned her a look from Zara but he didn’t look annoyed. If anything he looked equally amused.

“Why don’t we move this further inside?” Alexandra muttered. “I despise cramped places.” Alexandra visibly shuddered standing in it, which caused Lucia to gently put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to soothe the sudden anxiety.

“And you think I like them?” Zara snorted. “I’m a dragon. I need large, comfortable spaces but this cave is the only one I’ve found to suit my needs. A narrow entrance makes thieves and intruders easier to roast, even if I have to take human form to get in and out. Besides the back isn’t so cramped. Come on.”

Lucia looked at Zara as they began the short walk to his home. Technically, Zara was a dragon shifter but he’d always felt more comfortable in his dragon form. When they spent those first few days together Zara confessed this in a vulnerable moment-- though not before proceeding to threaten Lucia if she ever dared tell anyone.

In the beginning it was threats of being burned. Slowly these turned to threats of punishment but by now Zara had to be aware that Lucia didn’t fear the idea of punishment. It was quite the opposite, actually.

When the finally entered Zara’s home Lucia was taken by how familiar it seemed. There a small apartment to one side of it, suitable for a few human sized people. But most of the cave was a pit filled to overflowing with treasure. It even spilled onto the floor of the apartment. Nothing had changed in the whole place with the exception of more gold being added to her pile. Some parts were so high, they nearly touched the cave ceiling.

Lucia wasn’t sure she wanted to know how Zara managed to get all this gold. Some of it had to be from the fact that he was a prince but the rest was probably better left unsaid.

~*~

For the first hour or so after their arrival Lucia watched as Zara and Alexandra engaged in a conversation. It was nice to see the two getting along because in the beginning that didn’t even seem like a possibility.

Alexandra always had been aware of the fact that Lucia possessed two bondmarks. The problem wasn’t accepting the fact of two bondmarks but trying to get along with Zara who did come off a certain way.

Even Lucia felt that way about Zara when they first met, after all. Spending a few days together after the first time they met shifted her opinion of Zara, though. And Lucia liked that Alexandra finally came around-- though if he didn’t, they all would’ve found a way to make it work.

“Lucia!”

She blinked. “Yes?”

“Alexandra asked you a question,” Zara muttered, the impatience obvious in his tone. “What do you think of me moving into the treasure room after you’ve had your coronation? I’m not terribly thrilled about it because it sounds as if it will be very small with people barging in much too often. But perhaps an adjoining building can be created for me on the grounds.”

“We’re talking about moving in now?” Lucia blinked again. Well, that wasn’t sudden at all. What exactly had she missed when Alexandra and Zara were talking with one another?”

Alexandra chuckled. “I brought up us not being able to travel here all the time once your duties have increased and thought Zara moving onto the grounds would solve that problem. Surprisingly, he agreed with me.”

“Oh hush! It isn’t such a rare thing,” Zara hissed.

“... I think it’s a brilliant idea.”

Hopefully her Kingdom wouldn’t mind too much but there was plenty of time to convince the people.


End file.
